Family Caregivers

In my opinion, being happy is not easy or hard and shouldn't be viewed with a pass/fail mindset. It's an emotional state that you can develop and incorporate into your daily life... but it doesn't just happen.

As a family caregiver you may not always control the circumstances that come your way, but you can fully control their meaning to you and the way you react to them. And remember, if the weather looks a little threatening don't spend your precious time worrying about finding a way to change it.

As my mom lie naked from the waist down, I lifted up her legs like a toddler, while my sister slid a pad under her hips. I got a diaper out of the package left by the hospice nurse, and placed it on my mom. Never having children, this was foreign to me.

Parents of kids with disabilities have an immense presence on the Internet. Not a day goes by during which I don't come across stories from their perspectives, often sharing the experiences of caregiving for their children.

When I speak with family caregivers, especially in support groups, they often equate burnout with failure. Never mind the ramifications that burning out can have on a caregiver's health and well-being.

An advocate is defined as, "One that supports or promotes the interests of another." Given this definition, as a family caregiver, you are the ultimate health advocate, because you are constantly supporting the health interests of your loved one.

When you're in the throes of family caregiving and experiencing personal disappointment because you're not living up to your own superhero expectations, remember: We are all flawed when it come to family caregiving.

The truth is, effective multitasking is an oxymoron. Research has shown that your brain can only process one activity at a time. But what the brain is extremely good at is rapidly switching from one task to another.

Spiritual distress arises when a person finds it difficult to discern meaning, find comfort and draw upon a source of spiritual strength in order to cope more effectively. It speaks to what gives meaning, purpose, and comfort to a person's life.

Enter the "brain fitness" industry. It's grown by leaps and bounds lately, but it didn't pop up by accident. In fact, the marketing formula was incredibly simple: Gigantic Population + Fear = a BIG business opportunity.

If you are in the process of selecting an assisted-living facility, expand your investigation and really dig into the social programs being offered. Are they designed to truly add to a person's life? Are they stimulating and engaging? Or are they just given to pass the time of day?

Since Me Time is not about achieving a goal, it needs to become a lifestyle staple - something you work into your busy life and the Monday concept gives you 52 chances during the year to find your Me Time.

As caregivers, there is nothing that we can do to influence the results. Yet waiting for the outcome can weigh so heavily on us. No doubt about it, the sheer weight of the situation equals stress, and potentially a lot of it.

How do you take care of someone you may love but who you just don't like? It's nonsense for anyone to tell you to just block out the past and make today a fresh start. So let's take a look at several steps.

It is a great service to show up for someone and go with them through the last chapter of their lives. And though at the time, it feels as if your own life got lost somewhere, it eventually turns up again.

Working with family caregivers, I see a wide range of attitudes and emotions that exist within this large community of very special people. What I find especially interesting is that some family caregivers, faced with similar responsibilities, are happier and have a more positive attitude.

The rules and requirements for Medicaid eligibility for nursing home care are somewhat complicated and will vary according to the state you live in. With that said, here's a general, simplified rundown of what it takes to qualify, along with some resources you can turn to for help.

Loreen Arbus has made it her mission to honor the work of the caregiver, 'the unsung heroines," whose kindness comes in all manners of form to help transform lives, yet who are still so severely unappreciated.